A moment in history

The inauguration of Barack Obama as president was like no other in the history of the United States in modern times. It was the biggest and most expensive, costing an estimated $150 million and with two million spectators, many of them tightly squeezed onto the two-mile long National Mall. On the faces of the people, one could see overwhelming emotions, awe and joy mixed with amazement at the thought that the great racial barrier that has hounded America for centuries has been symbolically and tangibly lifted. The moment that Americans have been waiting for has come to pass: A black man has finally become president of the most powerful nation on earth.

Every aspect and detail of the inaugural was designed to evoke strong memories and powerful connections between the rich history of America and the hope of a new generation ushered in by the presidency of Barack Obama. It was no coincidence that the new president chose the same Bible used by his political hero Abraham Lincoln – America’s 16th president who successfully saw the country through the Civil War and emancipated slavery. The inauguration theme – “A new birth of freedom” – echoed Lincoln’s Gettysburg address that “all men are created equal” as Obama spoke about “the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.” 

Like in most embassies all over the world, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney was gracious enough to invite a number of people to the United States Embassy and share with Filipinos a great moment in the history not only in the US but perhaps even in the whole world, hosting a reception and a simple dinner at the Charles Parsons ballroom at the US Embassy grounds. We’re certain the good Ambassador shared the pride felt by every American as a historic moment unfolded before the eyes of the world. No doubt the ascension of Barack Obama – the son of a Kenyan and a white woman – is a tangible victory for every American whose life was dedicated to the Civil Rights movement, from Rosa Parks who was arrested for refusing to give up her seat for a white passenger, to Martin Luther King Jr. whose dream, many believe, was realized when Barack Obama won as president. And not to forget President Lyndon Johnson who passed civil rights laws outlawing segregation and discrimination on voting and even the buying and renting of property.

Watching the inaugural, to me one of the most striking and unbelievable visuals shown was the photo of six-year-old Ruby Bridges being escorted by federal marshals on her way to school in New Orleans in November 1960. (Bridges, author of the book Through My Eyes, was the first African-American to attend an all-white school at a time when racial integration was fiercely resisted by whites.) On the same frame was a photo of the young Obama girl Sasha being escorted by US Secret Service agents going to her new school, the Sidwell Friends School. The almost identical photos – taken on two different eras – were so powerful that I myself became overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

Obviously, racial discrimination continues to be a touchy issue in the US and the victory of Barack Obama will not eradicate deeply-rooted problems overnight. But no one would have ever imagined that “a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant” would become the resident of the White House, a mansion partly built by slave labor. Although Barack Obama had no slave descendants, the First Lady Michelle Robinson-Obama carries with her “the blood of slaves and slave owners.” Her great-great grandfather Jim Robinson was a slave worker in a South Carolina plantation.

Like John F. Kennedy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Americans will be looking at their new president with a lot of hope and great expectations. Like JFK, Obama ushers in a new era in the history of the US, as the torch is passed to “a new generation of Americans” who will face tough times and begin the work of “remaking America.” Much like FDR’s time, Obama’s term is marked by a great economic crisis, unemployment, a crippled financial system and two war fronts that are costing billions of dollars and sacrificing thousands of American lives.

In his speech, Obama called upon Americans to choose hope over fear and to be united in purpose rather than give way to conflict and discord. Definitely, there is a lot of work to be done and the road ahead will be rough and hard. On the day of the inaugural, indexes traded sharply lower – and it will be quite some time before people will be singing Roosevelt’s tune of “Happy days are here again.”

Perhaps this is why Obama’s inaugural message is cautious, the optimism tempered with pragmatism, reminding people that as much as government, everyone has a part in the work of rebuilding their nation. “The challenges we face are real… They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met… Everywhere we look, there is work to be done… For as much as the government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies,” he said.

After the drama, the pomp and the glitter of the inaugural, the real work begins, and the whole world will soon know the kind of president Barack Obama is. His success – and his place in history – will depend not so much on the fact that he became the first black to occupy the White House, but by how effectively he will wield the power of the US presidency to restore confidence and overcome the challenges that threaten to overwhelm his country and perhaps, the whole world.

* * *

Email: [email protected]